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HISTORICAL  SKETCH 

OF 

ROCKY  RIVER  CHURCH 

-V  V    FROM  1775  TO  1875  / 
BY 

REV.  JOS.  B.  MACK.  D.  D. 

TO  WHICH  IS  APPENDED 
&  FORE-WORD   AND   AN  AFTERWORD 

BY 

'.;         MORRISON  CALDWELL.  ESQ. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 
OF 

ROCKY  RIVER  CHURCH 

FROM  1775  TO  1875 
BY 

REV.  JOS.  B.  MACK,  D.  D. 

TO  WHICH  IS  APPENDED 
A    FORE-WORD    AND    AN  AFTERWORD 

BY 

MORRISON  CALDWELL.  ESQ. 

1913 


"Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1913  by 
Morrison  Caldwell  in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress 
at  Washington,  D.  C." 


THE  FLOWERS  COLLECTION 


DEDICATION 


To  the  Godly  men  who  for  more  than  a 
century  and  a  half  have  served  as  Elders  of 
Rocky  River  Church,  and  by  their  daily 
walk  and  conversation,  have  been  living 
epistles  known  and  read  of  all  men,  these 
pages  are  dedicated,  in  the  hope  that  this 
record  may  inspire  the  present  and  future 
generations  to  emulate  the  high  standard 
of  Christian  citizenship  herein  set  forth. 

MORRISON  CALDWELL 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch02mack 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  ROCKY  RIVER  PIONEERS. 
The  first  settlers  at  Rocky  River  were  sturdy 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians.  Rev.  Thomas  Craig- 
head, a  friend  of  Cotton  Mather,  of  New 
England,  induced  thousands  of  his  countrymen 
and  religious  sympathizers  from  the  North  of 
Ireland  to  come  to  Pennsylvania.  His  son,  Rev. 
Alexander  Craighead,  the  first  pastor  of  Rocky 
River,  brought  hundreds  of  his  friends  to  the  fer- 
tile lands  in  Carolina  and  a  large  number  of  them 
selected  lands  within  7  miles  of  che  present 
church,  and  on  the  hill  on  the  South  bank  of 
Rocky  River  between  the  mouth  of  Coddle  creek, 
and  the  mouth  of  Back  creek,  these  pioneers  erect- 
ed in  1755  a  log  church  in  which  Rev.  Alexander 
Craighead  preached.  This  was  the  first  Presby- 
terian church  West  of  the  Yadkin  river.  Out  of 
this  original  congregation  rapidly  grew  the  seven 
churches  whose  members  made  the  memorable 
Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence  on 
May  20,  1775.  From  old  records  and  tombstones 
we  know  that  among  these  pioneers  were  the 
heads  of  the  following  families,  viz:  Alexander, 
Anderson,  Archibald,  Andrews,  Bradshaw, 
Burns,  Black,  Caldwell,  Cochran,  Campbell,  Ca- 
rothers,  Davis,  Farr  (Pharr),  Harris,  King, 
Kirkpatrick,  Morrison,  McKinley,  McCurdy,  Mc- 
Lellan,  Rodgers,  Russell,  Stafford,  Scott,  Spears, 
Shelby,  White,  Query  and  many  others. 

When  John  Rodgers,  the  first  settler  in 
1732  located  his  cabin  on  the  North  bank  of 
Rocky  river,  a  half  mile  below  the  mouth  of  Back 
Creek,  his  nearest  neighbor  was  12  miles  North 
on  Third  creek.  A  year  or  two  later  came  White 
and  Harris.    The  tradition  is  that  one  day  White 


5 


heard  some  one  chopping  in  the  forest  on  the 
South  side  of  Rocky  River  near  the  mouth  of  Back 
creek.  He  made  his  way  through  the  cane  brake 
and  crossed  over  and  found  that  his  friend  Har- 
ris, whom  he  had  known  in  Pennsylvania,  was 
his  neighbor.  The  next  day  they  met  and  cut  out 
the  road  and  made  a  foard  across  the  river  be- 
tween the  mouth  of  Coddle  creek  and  the  mouth 
of  Back  creek.  This  foard  led  to  the  location  of 
the  first  church  at  this  point. 

Robert  Kirkpatrick,  a  native  of  Rocky  River, 
who  was  born  in  1788  and  wrote  in  1854  a  sketch 
of  the  church,  says  of  these  pioneers: 

"They  were  strict  in  their  morals,  ardent  m 
their  religion  and  uncompromising  enemies  of 
kings  and  despots.  Their  forefathers  had  drank 
the  bitter  cup  of  oppression  in  Europe  and  they 
sought  freedom  from  oppression  in  the  wilds  of 
America.  There  they  found  that  freedom  and  they 
were  determined  to  maintain  it  even  at  the  ex- 
pense of  their  lives."  The  same  writer  in  proof 
of  his  assertion  cites  the  fact  that  nine  Rocky 
River  young  men  in  1771  destroyed  the  king's 
powder  near  Concord,  and  that  the  pastor  of  this 
church  and  other  members  were  leaders  in  the 
adoption  of  the  Mecklenburg  Declaration. 

As  to  the  religious  life  of  these  pioneers,  Kirk- 
patrick says: 

"The  people  of  Rocky  River  were  remarkably 
plain  in  their  manners  and  dress,  and  strict  in 
their  observance  of  their  Christian  duties,  such 
as  rearing  a  family  altar,  teaching  their  children 
to  - Head  and- study  the  Bible,  which  was  a  class- 
book  in  their  school.  They  were  strict  observers 
of  the  Lord's  Day,  Calvinistic  in  their  views  of 
doctrine,  regular  attendance  upon  the  sanctuary. 

:6 


Whenever  they  built  a  church,  they  built  a  school 
house  and  made  fine  English  scholars  of  their 
sons,,  as  far  as  these  branches  were  taught,  such 
as  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic,  but  their 
daughters  were  much  neglected.  The  girls  were 
taught  to  read,  some  few  to  write,  but  very  few 
were  taught  arithmetic."  They  were,  indeed,  the 
Puritans  of  the  South ! 


CHAPTER  II. 


ROCKY  RIVER  AND  HER  PASTORS. 

"And  there  were  giants  in  those  days,  even  the 
sons  of  Anak."  The  pastors  of  Rocky  River  have 
ever  been  leaders  of  men.  The  first  pastor,  Rev. 
Alexander  Craighead,  by  his  powerful  personal- 
ity and  bold  defiance  of  the  tyranny  of  earthly 
rulers  who  sought  to  interfere  with  the  rights  of 
the  people  was  without  doubt  the  inspiring  cause 
that  led  the  Presbyterians  of  the  seven  churches 
to  proclaim  their  Independence  at  Charlotte  on 
May  20th,  1775. 

It  is  also  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  second 
pastor  of  Rocky  River,  Rev.  Hezekiah  J.  Balch, 
was  the  real  author  of  that  declaration  and  that 
Ephraim  Brevard  whom  history  has  credited  with 
the  authorship  merely  copied  the  draft  written  by 
Balch.  The  proof  of  this  statement  has  been  pub- 
lished by  Rev.  J.  B.  Mack,  D.D.,  and  also  by  Rev. 
Albert  Franklin  White,  D.D. 

The  third  pastor  of  Rocky  River,  Rev.  Robert 
Archibald,  like  his  predecessor  came  from  Prince- 
ton and  was  a  distinguished  scholar.  He  was  able 
to  read  and  teach  seven  languages.  His  usefulness 
and  influence  as  a  teacher  was  very  great.  Among 
his  pupils  was  the  famous  patriot  and  divine, 
Rev.  Humphrey  Hunter. 

Rev.  Alexander  Caldwell,  the  fourth  pastor, 
was  a  grandson  of  Craighead.  He  was  also  a 
Princetonian  and  is  described  as  possessed  of  a 
brilliant  intellect,  which  was  early  eclipsed  by 
mental  derangement. 

The  next  pastor,  Rev.  John  McKamie  Wilson, 
D.D.,  during  the  thirty  years  of  his  pastorate 
wrought  a  mighty  work  and  his  works,  like  his 


8 


name,  did  follow  laim.  His  school  in  Y5  year'fc 
aimed  out  twenty-five  Presbyterian  ministers. 
Fifteen  of  these  were  Rocky  River  boys,  and 
strange  to  say  six  of  them  were  grandsons  of 
Robert  Morrison,  the  pioneer,  great-great  grand- 
father of  the  writer.  Aside  from  Dr.  Wilson's 
influence  in  leading  the  young  men  into  the  Gospel 
ministry  his  most  remarkable  influence  was  ex- 
erted to  prevent  litigation  among  his  congrega- 
tion. It  is  said  that  for  30  years  no  lawsuit  went 
into  court  from  Rocky  River.  This  trend  to  the 
ministry  continued,  and  it  is  somewhat  remark- 
able that  in  all  the  history  of  Rocky  River  cover- 
ing a  period  of  150  years  only  two  of  her  sons  have 
chosen  the  legal  profession.  By  irony  of  fate  the 
-only  Rocky  River  boy  that  became  a  lawyer  prior 
to  1884,  was  Dr.  Wilson's  own  son,  the  late  Joseph 
TL  Wilson,  of  Charlotte,  who  was  the  Nestor  of 
the  Bar.  The  other  boy  who  had  the  temerity  and 
misfortune  to  trample  upon  the  tradition  of  the 
fathers  and  enter  the  law,  was  the  author  of  this 
chapter,  whom  Fate  hath  long  since  shown  the 
folly  of  his  choice.   Let  future  sons  beware! 

A  remarkable  man  was  Rev.  Daniel  Lindley, 
the  next  pastor  of  Rocky  River.  In  the  less  than 
three  years  of  his  pastorate  he  accomplished  what 
might  well  have  been  claimed  as  a  life's  work. 
Coming  among  the  people  of  Rocky  River  a  young 
man,  a  stranger  and  without  experience,  he  won 
the  entire  body  of  the  people  by  his  personal  mag- 
netism. He  organized  the  first  real  Sunday  school 
which  has  been  kept  up  till  the  present  time.  He 
added  to  the  membership  of  the  church  252  mem- 
bers, and  most  remarkable  of  all  he  organized  a 
temperance  society  of  500  members,  more  than 
the  church  membership.  To  have  induced  500 


9 


Scotch-Irishmen,  whose  fathers  knew  so  well  how 
to  distill  the  stuff  that  cheers  but  doth  not  inebri- 
ate, proves  Daniel  Linley  a  great  man.  This 
done  in  1832  when  the  sentiment  among  Chris- 
tian people  was  strong  against  temperance  socie- 
ties, and  when  such  work  was  in  its  infancy,  en- 
tities him  to  be  called  the  great  apostle  of  tem- 
perance. 

It  is  singular  to  relate  that  this  wonderful 
young  man  felt  called  of  God  to  carry  the  Gospel 
to  the  forgotten  people  of  the  mountains  of  North 
Carolina.  Concord  Presbytery  denied  him  that 
privilege,  and  he  then  offered  his  services  as  a 
missionary  to  South  Africa.  There  he  labored  for 
forty  years,  and  among  other  things  baptized 
Com  Paul  Kruger,  the  hero  of  South  Africa  who 
held  England  at  bay  for  years  in  spite  of  great 
odds.  When  he  returned  and  visited  Rocky  River 
the  writer  a  boy  of  13,  smiled  in  the  church  for 
the  first  time  when  Dr.  Lindley  told  of  teaching 
the  Africans  how  to  put  on  a  shirt,  and  related 
how  they  would  persist  in  putting  their  feet 
through  the  arm  holes.  That  a  man  with  the 
ability  to  do  what  Lindley  did  in  Rocky  River 
should  spend  40  years  a  missionary  to  the  sav- 
ages of  Africa,  proves  the  power  of  an  idea,  and 
the  still  greater  power  of  an  ideal.  Truly  God  doth 
move  in  a  mysterious  way  His  wonders  to  per- 
form! The  writer  has  gazed  upon  many  more  re- 
nowned, but  never  has  he  looked  upon  one  of 
God's  creation  with  so  royal  and  majestic  a  pres- 
ence as  Daniel  Lindley. 

Next  came  to  Rocky  River,  Rev.  Daniel  A.  Pen- 
ick,  who  for  37  years  was  the  leader  of  his  peo- 
ple. Dr.  Wilson  has  been  noted  for  his  physical  en- 
durance and  for  his  remarkable  activities  in  min- 


10 


lister ing  to  his  people  in  sickness,  regardless  of 
weather  and  distance.  "Father  Penick"  was  a 
man  of  strong  mind  and  strong  body  and  right 
nobly  did  he  minister  to  this  great  congregation, 
extending  over  an  area  that  extended  six  miles 
in  every  direction  from  the  church.  Under  his 
ministry  the  church  school  was  kept  up  till  the 
Civil  War.  He  was  noted  for  his  rigid  discipline 
.and  for  catechising  -his  congregation.  On  the  cen- 
tennial anniversary  of  the  church  Mr.  Penick 
suggested  the  erection  of  the  present  church  build- 
ing and  at  a  cost  of  $6,000  he  accomplished  this 
an  1860.  He  sleeps  beneath  the  spot  where  the 
pulpit  of  the  old  church  stood.  About  him  are 
gathered  the  faithful  followers  of  his  ministry. 
They  rest  from  their  labors,  but  their  works  will 
live  throughout  eternity.  This  writer  attended  the 
.last  catechising  held  by  "Father  Penick.''  It  was 
at  the  old  log  school  house  at  Harrisburg,  I  recall 
•even  now  his  white  beard  and  kindly  smile  as  he 
coaxed  me  out  of  my  timidity  and  got  me  to  ans- 
wering questions  in  the  Shorter  Catechism.  But 
I  was  not  more  confused  I  think  than  my  good 
ancle  when  he  started  out  boldly  on  the  fourth 
commandment  and  ended  with  the  tenth.  I  also 
recall  one  of  his  last  messages  to  his  people.  His 
text  was:  "Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures 
where  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  but  lay  up 
for  yourselves  treasures  in  Heaven,  where  moth 
and  rust  doth  not  corrupt  and  where  thieves  do 
not  break  through  and  steal."  It  was  a  wonder 
sermon.  The  man  with  the  message  was  there. 
He  seemed  to  stand  in  the  very  gates  of  Heaven 
and  beg  his  friends  to  follow  him  to  that  "land  of 
pure  delight,  where  saints  immortal  dwell."  That 
was  the  first  really  great  sermon  the  writer  ev< 


13 


Heard,  but  it  was  shortly  followed  by  another  by 
that  illustrious  son  of  Rocky  River,  Dr.  Robert 
Hall  Morrison,  first  President  of  Davidson  C: 
lege.  Dr.  Morrison  preached  the  funeral  or  memo- 
rial sermon  of  Father  Penick.  His  text  was :  "G 
death  where  is  thy  stingy  0  grave  where  is  thy 
victory/'  etc.  This  sermon  produced  a  profoune 
impression  and  by  request  of  the  congregation 
was  published  in  pamphlet  form. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  Joseph'  B.  Mack,  who 
came  from  Presbytery  of  Charleston.  Mr.  Mack 
at  the  time  of  his  coming  was  fuE  of  youth  and 
vigor  and  consecrated  to  his  work.  His  wit  and 
humor  were  a  part  of  his  every  day  religion,  and 
but  for  his  fervent  prayers  and  eloquent  sermons, 
it  is  doubtful  whether  he  could  have  overcome  the 
Puritan  instincts  of  the  older  members  of  his 
congregation  who  had  been  reared  in  the  sterner 
school  where  religion  was  a  sort  of  straight- jacket 
affair,  and  levity  was  an  unpardonable  offence. 
But  such  was  the  magnetism  and  such  the  momen- 
tum of  this  man  that  he  swept  all  before  him.  I 
can  see  him  now  as  he  came  into  the  Sunday 
School  and  personally  taught  or  led  in  the  singing- 
of  the  "new  tunes,"  such  as :  "Around  the  throne 
of  God  in  Heaven,  thousands  of  children  stand"," 
"There  is  a  happy  land,"  etc.  Dr.  Wilson  and 
"Father  Penick"  were  noted  horseback  ridersr 
but  certainly  neither  of  them  rode  as  did  Dr. 
Mack.  Sitting  upon  his  beautiful  black  mare  with 
the  grace  of  a  cavalry  leader  he  galloped  into  the 
homes  and  into  the  hearts  of  his  people.  Under 
his  leadership  Rocky  River  reached  the  high  tide 
of  membership  and  of  financial  contributions. 
The  brick  manse  was  built  and  the  pastor  was 
paid  a  salary  of  $1,500,  just  three  times  the 


12 


ramount  paid  to  Dx.  Wilson,  Nearly  all  the  col- 
ored members  had  left,  but  the  membership  under 
<the  revival  preaching  of  Mr.  Mack  was  soon  over 
>600.  He  established  the  practice  of  preaching 
ceach  Sunday  afternoon  in  the  different  "quarters'- 
of  the  congregation.  Out  of  this  later  grew  the 
churches  at  Zion  and  Harrisburg.  Although  Dr, 
Mack  remained  in  Rocky  .River  only  a  few  years, 
.he  ever  took  great  interest  in  this  historic  church, 
where  he  always  numbered  his  devoted  friends  by 
hundreds.  Soon  after  leaving  the  congregation 
he  returned  and  delivered  a  historical  address 
giving  the  result  of  his  research.  A  portion  of 
this  address  is  published  in  this  pamphlet,  but  it 
is  incomplete  because  Dr.  Mack  had  memorandum 
:notes  and  part  of  his  address  was  ex  tempore.. 

Rev.  Jas.  M.  Wharey,  DX).,  succeeded  Dr.  Mack 
in  1876.  An  able  and  earnest  preacher  he  quick- 
ly gained  the  love  of  his  people,  both  old  and 
young.  During  his  ministry  began  that  unfor- 
tunate exodus  from  country  to  to\7n  which  has 
proven  the  ruin  of  so  many  grand  country 
'churches.  On  the  farms  of  the  people  who  moved 
away,  negro  tenants  were  left  to  till  the  soil. 
Despite  these  drawbacks  Dr.  Wharey  continued 
to  hold  the  church  in  good  place  among  her  sister 
churches,  and  it  was  with  sincere  sorrow  that 
they  parted  with  him.  This  ministry  resulted  in 
the  following  young  men  entering  the  ministry, 
viz:  Rev.  Floyd  Alexander,  Rev.  Oswald  White, 
Rev.  J.  M.  Harris,  Rev.  R.  C.  Morrison.  Under 
his  leadership  the  classical  school  was  restored 
and  Messrs.  Custer,  Osborne  and  Dunn  prepared 
the  youth  of  the  congregation  for  greater  useful 
ness. 


13 


The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  Jiro.  G.  Anderson,  a 
worthy  successor  to  such  a  noble  line  of  distin- 
guished predecessors.  If  Dr.  Wharey  faced  one 
problem,  it  is  but  truth  to  say  that  problems  beset 
his  successor,  on  every  hand..  It  was  folly  to  fal- 
ter. With  faith  in  God  and  a  desire  to  help  his: 
fellow  man,  he  met  each  crisis  and  solved  each 
problem  as  he  understood  the  right.  That  he  fail- 
ed to  please  all  the  people,,  was  the  fault  of  the 
time  more  than  of  the  man.  Let  his  critics  who- 
say  that  his  energies  and  abilities  should  have 
been  devoted  entirely  to  preaching,  not  forget  that 
in  interesting  himself  m  the  troubles  and  prob 
Terns  of  his  people,  he  only  did  what  Rev.  Alexan- 
der Craighead  and  Rev.  Hezekiah  Balch  did  in 
pioneer  days  and  what  Dr.  Wilson  did  in  his  day 
m  taking  cases  out  of  the  hands  of  the  lawyers- 
Time,  the  great  physician,  has  healed  all  wounds 
of  that  battle,  and  let  us  hope  that  on  that  other 
shore  the  old  friends  shall  meet  their  pastor  face 
to  face,  and  there  shall  be  Joy  that  passeth  all 
understanding. 

Owing  to  limitations  as  to  space  and  the  fact 
that  all  the  later  pastors  are  well  known  to  pres- 
ent generation  it  is  deemed  wise  ta  close  this 
sketch  at  this  point. 


14 


CHAPTER  111. 

'.THE  EARLY  CHURCHES  AND  CEMETERIES  OF  ROCKY 

RIVER. 

Churches. 

The  first  church  (built  of  logs)  *fras  erected 
sabout  year  1754  and  stood  on  the  hill  side  on  the 
South  side  of  Rocky  river  about  half  way  between 
the  mouth  of  Coddle  creek  and  the  mouth  of  Back 
creek.  The  old  graveyard  may  easily  be  identi- 
fied by  numerous  graves  marked  with  stones,  but 
no  written  monuments  are  there,  though  the 
place  should  receive  at  least  a  marker  from  the 
hands  of  a  grateful  posterity. 

Here  Craighead  preached  and  here  the  com- 
munion service  was  first  used.  Mrs.  Jane  White 
when  very  old  told  Dr.  Mack  of  her  recollections 
of  scouring  the  pewter  communion  service  for  this 
first  communion.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  first 
preaching  services  were  held  on  the  North  side 
of  the  river  between  where  Mr.  Ed  Erwin  lives 
and  Pharr's  mill.  In  1768  a  new  log  church  was 
built  between  mouth  of  Back  creek  and  mouth  of 
Reedy  creek  and  one-half  mile  from  where  Back 
creek  enters  the  river. 

In  1807  a  frame  church  building,  40x65  feet, 
was  erected  where  the  grave  of  Rev.  Daniel  A. 
Penick  is  located  in  the  present  graveyard.  In 
1808  the  Synod  of  North  Carolina  was  held  in 
that  building. 

The  present  brick  church  was  built  in  1859  at 
a  cost  of  $6,000. 

Graveyards. 
In  addition  to  the  old  graveyard  already  de- 
scribed, we  find  that  members  of  Rocky  Rivef 
congregation  were  buried  at  the  Patton  graveyard 


15 


on  bank  of  Irish  Buffalo,  between  Brown  Mill  andi 
Cannon  Mill,  at  the  Phif  er  graveyard  on  old  Sal- 
isbury road  4  miles  West  of  Concord,  N..  C,  at 
the  Spears'  graveyard  2  miles  East  of  Rocky  River 
church  and  at  the  old.  graveyard  on  East  side  of 
the  present  church  and  there  were  doubtless  fam- 
ily burial  grounds  which  are  unknown. 

We  know  that  Benjamin  Patton  a  signer  of  the 
Mecklenburg  Declaration  lies  in  an  unmarked 
grave,  now  desecrated  by  the  plow,  within  full 
view  of  the  city  of  Concord,  Here  is  something  for 
the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  and  the  Presby- 
terians of  Cabarrus  county  to  think  about. 

On  the  summit  of  one  of  the  highest  hills  in 
Cabarrus  county,  is  the  old  rock-walled  Spears7 
graveyard,  so  called  because  Wm.  Spears  donated 
the  land.  As  you  approach  this  sacred  spot  you: 
are  struck  with  the  dense  growth  of  trees  within 
this  enclosure.  With  proper  attention  and  culling 
of  the  undergrowth,  this  could  be  made- 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  cemeteries  in 
the  State.  Here  are  buried  the  following- 
pioneers,  viz :  Capt.  Archibald  McCurdy,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier;  James  Morrison,  Robert 
Morrison,  Robert  Caldwell,  Robert  Cochran,  Wil- 
liam Andrew,  William  Spears,  James  Bradshaw. 
Oliver  Wiley,  Thomas  Davis,  Isaac  Ross,  and 
many  others  whose  graves  are  unmarked.  Ex- 
Sheriff  Wm.  H.  Archibald,  son  of  Rev.  Rober 
Archibald  third  pastor  of  Rocky  River,  is  also 
buried  here  and  his  wife  was  the  last  person 
buried  in  this  place.  The  oldest  grave  that  is 
marked  is  that  of  Isaac  Ross  who  died  in  1760  and 
whose  slate  monument  was  erected  in  1781.  In 
this  old  graveyard  we  see  on  one  monument 
sculptured  the  British  coat  of  arms  with  its  two 

16 


lions  and  unicorn.  Not  far  away  is  the  monu- 
ment of  William  Spears  and  his  monument  made 
in  Charleston  has  a  huge  American  eagle  with 
the  motto  of  the  United  States,  E  Pluribus  Unum. 
The  poet  and  especially  the  near-poet  will  find  the 
verses  upon  these  old  monuments  well  worth  a 
visit  to  this  spot.  They  breathe  religion  as  truly 
as  the  trees  springing  from  their  graves  suggest 
immortality.  The  old  church  graveyard  has  been 
cut  off  and  is  an  unsightly  spot,  but  here  will  be 
found  many  graves  of  more  than  passing  interest. 


CHAPTER  IV". 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ROCKY  RIVERA. 
Written  by  Rev.  J.  B,  Mack,  D.D. 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret  that  no  record! 
whatever  of  the  organization  or  early  history  of 
Rocky  River  church  can  be  found.  If  there  was 
any  official  register  of  officers  or  members,  of" 
baptisms,  marriages  or  deaths,  previous  to  Aug- 
ust, 1835  it  has  been  lost.  Neither  can  we  learn 
anything  from  the  early  records,  of  Orange  Pres- 
bytery, for  they  have  been  lost.  Thus  our  sources 
of  information  can  only  be  the  traditions  of  the 
elders  and  contemporaneous  history.  The  infor- 
mation gained  from  the  first  of  these  is  some- 
what unreliable,  and  that  gained  from  the  other- 
is  more  or  less  indirect. 

The  precise  date  of  the  organization  of  Rocky 
River  church  cannot  be  known.  This  whole  sec- 
tion was  settled  by  Christian  families,  and  the 
churches  therein  were  gradually  formed.  It  was 
first  ''The  church  in  the  house,"  then  the  gather- 
ing together  of  neighborhoods  for  worship,  and 
then  the  worshipping  of  God  in  ecclesiastical  or- 
ganizations, which  organizations  divicfed  or  were 
merged  into  others  according  to  the  increase  of 
population  in  various  directions. 

It  seems,  however,  to  be  clear  that  Rocky  River 
is  the  oldest  Presbyterian  church  between  the  Yad- 
kin and  Catawba  rivers.  This  is  the  testimony  of 
tradition.  Foote  says,  "Rocky  River  congregation 
is  prior  in  point  of  time  to  Sugar  Creek,  and  the 
first  of  all  churches  in  Concord  Presbytery."  This 
was  said  when  Mecklenburg  Presbytery  was  a 
part  of  Concord  Presbytery.  . 

Sugar  Creek,  Poplar  Tent  and  Philadelphia 


18 


churches  were  at  first  parts  of  Rocky  River.  Con- 
cerning Sugar  Creek  church  Foote  says,  "The 
name  of  the  oldest  church  in  the  upper  country 
was  Rocky  River,  and  it  included  Sugar  Creek 
in  its  bounds."  Again  in  speaking  of  the  Sugar 
Creek  church  building  that  was  burned  in  1886  he 
says :  "This  is  the  present  place  of  worship  of 
part  of  the  oldest  Presbyterian  congregation  in 
the  upper  country,  in  some  measure  the  parent  of 
the  seven  congregations  that  formed  the  conven- 
tion in  Charlotte  in  1775." 

Concerning  Poplar  Tent  church,  he  says :  "Prior 
to  the  time  of  Mr.  Balch  there  were  three  elders 
of  Rocky  River  church  living  in  the  bounds  of 
Poplar  Tent,  who  were  continued  as  elders  after 
the  separate  organization  of  Poplar  Tent,  of 
which  they  formed  a  part." 

Concerning  Philadelphia  church,  he  says,  that 
places  on  which  two  elders  of  Rocky  River 
lived  in  1775  are  now  in  the  bounds  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

It  appears  to  have  been  the  strongest  and  best 
organized  church  between  1753  and  1758.  It  is 
the  first  church  in  this  section  mentioned  by  name 
in  the  records  of  the  Synod  of  New  York — it  was 
the  first  to  obtain  a  pastor — and  when  the  people 
in  Cathey's  settlement  wished  to  call  Hugh  Mc- 
Aden  in  1755  they  expected  that  Rocky  River 
church  would  take  part  of  his  time. 

If  compelled  to  fix  the  year  when  this  church 
was  organized  and  known  as  Rocky  River,  I  would 
say  1755.  It  could  not  have  been  organized  and 
known  as  such  in  the  first  half  of  1753 ;  because 
in  October  of  that  year  the  Synod  of  New  York 
in  an  address  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the 


19 


Church  of  Scotland,  said:  "There  are  also  large 
settlements  lately  planted  in  various  parts,  par- 
ticularly in  North  and  South  Carolina,  where 
multitudes  are  extremely  desirous  of  the  minis- 
trations of  the  Gospel;  but  they  are  not  yet  form- 
ed into  congregations,  and  regularly  organized 
for  want  of  ministers."  Again,  'The  whole  col- 
ony of  North  Carolina,  where  numerous  congre- 
gations of  Presbyterians  are  forming,  and  where 
there  is  not  one  Presbyterian  minister  settled." 

It  must  have  been  before  the  Fall  of  1755  for 
on  the  Records  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  on  Oct. 
3rd,  1755  we  find  the  name  of  the  church  just 
mentioned. 

Thus  between  the  Summer  of  1753  and  the  Fall 
of  1755  the  church  was  fully,  organized  and 
named..  It  was  not  organized  by  McMordie  or 
Donaldson  in  1753  for  they  were  only  licentiates 
and  were  sent  out  by  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia, 
while  Rocky  River  was  organized  by  some  one 
belonging  to  the  Synod  of  New  York.  This  Synod 
did  not  appoint  any  of  its  ministers  to  visit  North 
Carolina  in  1753,  but  on  Sept.  8th,  1754  they  ap- 
pointed Rev.  Messrs.  Charles  Beatty  and  Daniel 
Thane  to  visit  for  three  months  each  the  destitute 
parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  They  per- 
formed this  duty  and  I  suppose  that  during  the 
visit  of  one  of  these  the  church  was  organized. 
By  which  one  of  them  we  can  not  tell  but  as  Rev. 
Daniel  Thane  is  known  to  have  gone  as  far  as 
Fair  Forest  church  during  1754  in  Union  county, 
South  Carolina  on  his  mission,  I  should  be  in- 
clined to  believe  that  he  was  the  man. 

The  first  settlements  in  this  section  were  made 
about  1732.    Between  this  and  1750  the  emigra- 


20 


tion  hitherward  was  steady  but  .slow.  The  face 
of  the  country  was  then  very  different  from  what 
it  is  at  present.  A  virgin  forest  adorned  the  hill- 
sides, thick  canebrakes  covered  the  creek  and  river 
bottoms  while  tall  grass  grew  on  the  level  por- 
tions, presenting  then  the  appearance  of  immense 
grazing  farms  where  now  thrifty  forests  wave 
These  immense  ranges  abounded  with  wild  game 
which  feeding  on  the  grass  and  wild  pea  which 
grew  in  woods  in  summer  and  on  the  canes  in 
winter  kept  fat  during  the  whole  year. 

A  writer  about  1800  describing  upper  South 
Carolina  says:  "In  1750  when  the  settlement  of 
the  upper  country  began  there  were  so  many  buf- 
faloes which  have  since  disappeared  that  three  or 
four  men  with  their  dogs  could  kill  from  10  to  20 
in  a  day.  Wild  turkeys  were  also  in  the  great- 
est plenty.  Deer  were  so  numerous  that  a  rifle- 
man with  a  little  powder  and  shot  could  easily 
kill  4  or  5  in  a  day.  A  common  hunter  could  kill 
in  the  autumnal  seasons  as  many  bears  as  would 
make  from  2,000  to  3,000  weight  of  bear  bacon. 
The  waters  abounded  with  beavers  otters  and 
muskrats.  Twenty  beavers  have  been  caught  by 
one  man  in  one  season  on  Fair  Forest.  The  coun- 
try wras  also  overrun  with  wolves  panthers  and 
wild  cats,"  etc.  Ramsey  page  305.  There  was  a 
great  facility  of  raising  stock  from  the  profusion 
of  native  grasses  and  canes.  When  the  whole 
country  was  within  the  grasp  of  a  few  settlers  the 
preference  of  one  spot  over  another  was  generally 
decided  by  the  comparative  plenty  of  canes." 

The  ease  with  which  a  living  could  be  gained  in 
such  a  land  while  settling  it  when  combined  with 
the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  salubrity  of  the 
climate  naturally  caused  emigration  unto  it.  The 


21 


peaceful  character  of  the  Catawba  Indians  added 
to  its  attractiveness.  It  is  true  that  Virginia  was 
a  fine  country  but  there  was  an  established 
church,  and  the  laws  were  comparatively  severe 
on  the  subject  of  religion  and  as  the  settlers  were 
Pennsylvania  Scotch-Irish  many  of  them  passed 
through  Virginia — yea  many  in  Virginia  left 
there  and  came  with  them. 

The  people  who  settled  in  Rocky  River  and  in- 
deed this  whole  section  were  Scotch-Irish.  They 
were  the  descendants  of  the  Scotch  who  emigrated 
to  the  North  of  Ireland  during  the  reign  of  James 
I.  These,  while  "retaining  the  characteristic 
traits  of  their  native  stock,  borrowed  some  things 
from  their  neighbors,  and  were  fashioned  in  some 
measure  by  the  moulding  influence  of  the  climate 
and  country."   F.,  p.  90. 

Of  the  Scotch-Irish  there  were  two  streams  of 
emigration.  Those  who  came  direct  from  Ireland 
to  Carolina,  and  those  who  first  came  to  Penn- 
sylvania and  thence  to  the  Carolinas.  The  dif- 
ference between  them  seems  to  have  been  this, 
viz:  Those  from  Pennsylvania  had  been  in  this 
country  long  enough  to  be  judges  of  good  land, 
and  hence  they  settled  along  rivers  and  creeks  the 
others,  not  being  judges,  settled  on  thinner  lands 
and  towards  the  heads  of  creeks  and  water 
courses.  The  settlers  of  Rocky  River  were  of  the 
first  of  these  and  some  of  them  came  from  Lan- 
caster county,  Pennsylvania. 

These  were  Presbyterians,  of  course,  and  seem- 
ed generally,  to  have  be^en  of  the  New  Side  party. 
That  you  may  understand  this  let  me  say  that  in 
1741  the  Presbyterian  Church  was  divided  into 
two  parts,  called  Old  Side  and  New  Side.  The 
Old  Side  were  opposed  to   revivals,  discounte- 


22 


nanced  the  preaching  of  Whitefield,  and  disap- 
proved of  extempore  preaching.  The  New  Side 
gloried  in  revivals  urged  Christians  to  seek  for 
assurance  of  hope  and  welcomed  Whitefield. 

Almost  all  if  not  all  of  the  Rocky  River  settler? 
were  of  the  New  Side  party  as  is  evident  from 
three  things:  First,  the  request  for  preaching 
from  Rocky  River  were  sent  to  the  New  Side 
Synod,  i.  e.,  The  Synod  of  New  York.  Second, 
they  invited  McAden  who  was  a  New  Side  licenti- 
ate in  1755  to  be  their  minister  one-half  of  the 
time.  Third  their  first  pastor  was  Alexander 
Craighead  who  was  one  of  the  extreme  New  Side 
ministers.  If  Jno.  Thomson  preached  at  Poplar 
Tent  there  must  have  been  some  of  the  Old  Side 
there  which  seems  to  be  corroborated  by  McAden 
not  remaining  with  them  because  of  their  divi- 
sions. Thus  from  the  beginning  this  church  was 
filled  with  those  who  believed  in  revivals,  and  God 
has  blessed  the  church  with  them. 

The  first  settlements  were  made  about  1732, 
but  until  1750  the  population  was  sparse.  Still,  it 
steadily,  though  slowly,  increased.  Not  only  did 
they  come  direct  from  Pennsylvania,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  comparative  severity  of  laws  upon 
the  subject  of  religion  in  Virginia  some  of  those 
settlers  there  came  on  too.  About  1750  the  stream 
of  emigration  began  to  increase,  and  in  1755  on 
account  of  the  exposed  condition  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Virginia  frontiers  consequent  over 
Braddock's  defeat  there  was  a  great  influx  of 
population.  The  effect  of  this  is  seen  in  the  fact 
that  the  Sugar  Creek  settlement  became  large 
enough  to  form  a  separate  congregation.  Per- 
haps, the  great  drought  of  1755  checked  immi- 
gration somewhat,  but  only  for  a  time,  for  in 


23 


1764  or  1765  the  Poplar  Tent  settlement  became 
large  enough  to  form  a  separate  congregation.  It 
was  on  account  of  this  great  increase,  that  the 
Synod  appointed  in  May  23,  1764  Elihu  Spencer 
and  Alexander  McWhorter  to  go  to  North  Caro- 
lina to  "form  societies,  help  them  in  adjusting 
their  bounds,  ordain  elders,  administer  sealing 
ordinances,  instruct  the  people  in  discipline,  and 
finally  direct  them  in  their  after  conduct,  particu- 
larly in  what  manner  they  shall  proceed  to  obtain 
the  stated  ministry." 

The  idea  that  there  was  but  very  little  preach- 
ing in  this  section  before  the  coming  of  Alexander 
Craighead  is  utterly  wrong.  Had  they  been  as 
destitute  as  is  generally  supposed  they  would  not 
have  hungered  as  they  did  for  the  preached  Word. 

We  know  from  various  sources  that  many  min- 
isters visited  this  region,  that  some  of  them  came 
several  times,  and  that  sometime  they  stayed  for 
weeks  and  even  months.  There  are  doubtless  a 
number  of  Presbyterian  churches  in  this  State 
today  that  have  less  Presbyterian  preaching  than 
did  your  ancestors  of  that  early  day. 

We  know  from  the  Records  of  the  Synods  of 
Philadelphia  and  New  York  that  in  1753  (May 
24th)  McMordie  was  directed  by  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia  to  start  on  July  1st,  and  Wm.  Don- 
aldston  October  and  spend  ten  weeks  each  in  the 
destitute  settlements  showing  special  regard  to 
vacancies  between  the  Yadkin  and  Catawba 
rivers.  In  1754  Rev.  Messrs.  Tate  and  John  Kin- 
kead  were  directed  to  supply  "the  back  country" 
for  a  time  not  exceeding  three  months;  and  the 
Synod  of  New  York  appointed  Rev.  Messrs.  Chas. 
Beatty,  Bostwick,  Lewis  and  Thane  to  supply  them 


24 


for  three  months  each,  though  only  Beatty  and 
Thane  did  so. 

In  1755  Synod  of  Philadelphia  appointed  Don- 
aldson to  preach  three  months  in  Fall,  Wilson 
three  months  in  Winter  and  Wm.  McKennan 
three  months  next  Spring.  The  Synod  of  New 
York  appointed  Rev.  Messrs.  Bramerd,  Spencer 
and  Clark  to  labor  each  six  months  in  this  sec- 
tion, and  though  they  did  not  come  Messrs.  Hoge 
and  Mci^den  did.  This  is  the  year  that  Alexan- 
der Craighead  came.  Church  wanted  to  call  Mc- 
Aden. 

In  1756  Synod  of  Philadelphia  appointed 
Rev.  John  Alison  to  labor  here  in  Fall  and  Win- 
ter, and  the  Synod  of  New  York  appointed  six  to 
spend  four  months  each  who  did  not  come. 

In  1757  Synod  of  Philadelhpia  appointed  Rev. 
Alex  Miller  and  Craig  in  the  Fall  and  following 
Spring  to  preach  in  this  section,  and  the  Synod  of 
New  York  appointed  Mr.  Hait  to  spend  four 
months  here  and  directed  the  Presbyteries  of 
Newcastle  and  Hanover  to  send  one  each  for  the 
any  one. 

In  1751,  Rev.  John  Thomson. 

1752,  Rev.  John  Brown,  Licentiate. 

1753,  Licentiate  Robert  Mordie  and  Donaldson. 

1754,  Rev.  Messrs.  Jos.  Tate,  John  Kinkead, 
David  Thane  and  Charles  Beatty. 

1755,  Donaldson,  Rev.  Matthew  Wilson,  John 
Hoge,  Licentiate  Hugh  McAden  and  Rev.  Alex 
Craighead. 

1756,  Rev.  John  Alison  and  Alex  Craighead. 

1757,  Rev.  Alex  Miller  and  John  Craig. 
From  the  foregoing  we  learn  that  every  year- 
one  or  more  missionaries  visited  this  section,  and 


25 


that  others  visited  it  in  a  non-official  capacity. 
Hence  we  wonder  that  New  Brunswick  Presbytery 
was  told  that  there  were  14  congregations  in 
North  Carolina  which  rapidly  increased  under 
the  emigration  that  took  place  then. 

In  January,  1758  the  Presbytery  of  Hanover 
directed  Rev.  Alexander  Craighead  to  visit  Rocky 
River  on  2nd  Sabbath  of  February.  In  the  fol- 
lowing April,  a  regular  call  from  this  church  for 
his  services  was  presented  and  accepted.  Rev. 
John  Martin  was  appointed  to  install  him ;  but  he 
failed  to  do  so.  On  July  18th,  1758,  Rev.  Wm. 
Richardson  was  ordained  by  Hanover  Presbytery 
and  directed  to  install  Mr.  Craighead,  which  duty 
he  performed  on  the  27th  of  September,  1758,  on 
his  way  to  the  Cherokees. 

How  long  this  pastoral  relation  continued  we 
do  not  know,  but  it  was  probably  only  about  two 
years,  for  on  May  23rd,  1761,  there  is  in  the  rec- 
ords of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia 
a  petition  from  this  church  for  supplies,  which 
would  not  be  the  case  if  he  was  still  the  pastor. 
Perhaps,  however,  he  continued  to  occasionally 
supply  them  until  his  death  in  March,  1766. 

In  1768  the  church  was  visited  by  the  Rev.  Hez- 
ekiah  James  Balch,  who  was  ordained  and  install- 
ed pastor  of  Rocky  River  and  Poplar  Tent  in  the 
fall  of  1769  and  continued  such  until  his  death  in 
1776.  In  October,  1778  the  Rev.  Robert  Archi- 
bald became  pastor  of  Rocky  River  and  Poplar 
Tent  and  continued  so  until  about  1791.  In  1793 
the  Rev.  Alex.  Caldwell  became  pastor  and  con- 
tinued so  until  1797. 


26 


CHAPTER  V. 

ELDERS  OF  ROCKY  RIVER. 

"The  first  Elders  were  Wm.  Whi'e,  Wm.  Scott 
and  Col.  Robert  Harris,"  so  said  Mrs.  Jane 
White,  who  was  born  in  1754  (the  year  the 
church  was  organized)  at  her  father's  house, 
which  was  on  the  bluff  of  the  river,  just  below 
Coddle  Creek,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above 
the  present  Factory  Ford. 

The  first  named  of  these,  Wm.  White,  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania  and  moved  here  in   .  Per- 
haps, because  he  was  nearest  to  the  church,  he 
kept  the  communion  service,  which  was  of  pew- 
ter, and  which  was  brightened  before  communion 
seasons  by  rubbing  it  with  scrub  grass  ' 

In  a  few  years  the  church  seems  to  have  em- 
braced within  its  bounds  the  territory  now  occu- 
uied  by  Poplar  Tent  and  Philadelphia  churches. 
Between  1760  and  1765,  the  following  persons 
appear  to  have  been  Elders,  viz:  Wm.  Scott  and 
Archibald  White  (brother  of  Wm.  White)  who 
lived  in  the  Northeastern  part  of  the  congrega- 
tion. Robert  Harris  and  David  Caldwell,  who 
lived  in  the  Southeastern  part  of  the  congrega- 
tion. Aaron  Alexander  and  David  Reese,  who 
lived  in  the  Poplar  Tent  section,  and  Adam  Alex- 
ander and  John  Query,  who  lived  in  the  Clear 
Creek  or  Philadelphia  section. 

In  1776  Poplar  Tent  was  organized,  and  a  few 
years  afterwards  Clear  Creek,  or,  as  it  is  now  caU 
ed,  Philadelphia.  This  changed  and  the  bounds 
of  the  congregation,  which  perhaps  by  Mr.  Balch 
were  divided  into  five  sections,  or  "quarters"  as 
they  were  and  are  called. 

In  1780,  the  Elders  seem  to  have  been  as  fol- 
lows : 


27 


James  Morrison  in  Pioneer  Mills  Quarter;  CoL 
Robert  Harris  in  the  Church  Quarter;  Francis 
Newell  in  the  Black's  Quarter;  David  Caldwell  in 
the  Query's  Quarter,  and  William  Scott  in  the 
Factory  Quarter. 

In  1788  Col.  Robert  Harris  died  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  his  quarter  by  Thomas  Davis. 

In  1795,  the  Elders  were :  1,  James  Morrison ;  2, 
Thomas  Davis;  3,  Francis  Newell;  4,  David  Cald- 
well; 5,  William  Scott. 

Between  1795  and  1801  James  Morrison,  David 
Caldwell  and  William  Scott  ceased  to  be  Elders — 
perhaps  they  were  all  removed  by  the  hand  of 
death,  as  they  all  were  very  old,  being  among  the 
first  settlers  in  Rocky  River. 

The  congregation  also  became  enlarged,  or  the 
Factory  quarter  was  divided;  the  lower  part,  or 
what  is  now  Factory  quarter  forming  the  other. 

In  1801  when  Dr.  Wilson  took  charge  the  El- 
ders appear  to  have  been:  1,  William  Morrison, 
Sr. ;  2,  Thomas  Davis ;  3,  Francis  Newell ;  4,  Wm. 
Morrison,  Jr.  (Miller,  Wm.?)  ;  5,  Thomas  White; 
6,  James  Bradshaw,  Sr. 

In  1816,  Wm.  Morrison,  Sr.,  was  succeeded  by 
John  Morrison;  in  18 —  James  Burnes,  who  cut 
his  throat,  was  succeeded  by  Wm.  Roland  Pharr, 
and  in  1823  Wm.  Morrison,  Jr.,  was  succeeded  by 
James  Query;  so  that  all  the  Elders  when  Dr. 
Wilson  took  charge  had  passed  away  and  given 
place  to  an  entirely  new  Session. 

About  1820  the  Bradshaw  quartei  ceased  to  ex- 
ist so  that  there  remained  only  the  original  five, 
which  division  of  the  congregation  has  ever  since 
remained  the  same. 

When  Dr.  Wilson  died  and  Mr.  Lindley  took 


28 


charge  the  following  were  the  Elders:  1,  John 
Morrison;  2,  Andrew  Davis;  3,  John  White;  4, 
James  Query;  5  Wm.  Roland  Pharr  or  John  Phi- 
fer. 

During  Mr.  Lindley's  pastorate  John  White 
was  succeeded  in  the  Eldership  by  David  Miller, 
and  Wm.  Roland  Pharr  by  John  Phifer;  so  that 
in  1835  when  Mr.  Penick  became  pastor  the 
Elders  were :  1,  John  Morrison ;  2,  Andrew  Davis ; 
3,  David  Miller;  4,  James  Query,  and  5,  John 
Phifer. 

The  Sessional  Records  have  this  minute,  viz: 
"May  15th,  1836,  Mr.  David  Miller  informed  the 
Session  that  owing  to  some  dissatisfaction  in  the 
congregation,  he  doubted  whether  he  was  useful 
in  the  office  which  he  held  as  some  other  man 
might  be,  and  that  he  wished  the  congregation  to 
say  whether  he  might  cease  to  act  as  Ruling  Elder 
or  not. 

"Whereupon  the  Session  ordered  that  a  con- 
gregational meeting  be  held  on  next  Wednesday 
at  the  church,  and  that  oublication  be  made  of  it 
today,  (which  was  done)  to  ascertain  whether 
Mr.  Miller  can  be  permitted  to  cease  to  act  as 
Ruling  Elder  in  this  congregation;  and  that  in 
case  he  is  permitted,  to  elect  another  in  his  place/' 

''May  18th,  1836,  the  congregation  met,  as  call- 
ed by  the  Session ;  and  having  agreed  by  vote  that 
Mr.  Miller  might  cease  to  act  as  Ruling  Elder  in 
this  congregation;  proceeded  to  elect  an  Elder  in 
his  ttlace :  whereupon  Mr.  John  M.  Black  was  duly 
elected." 

This  is  the  minute  detailing  the  circumstances 
of  the  election  of  the  oldest  elder  now  in  the  Ses- 
sion. 


23 


On  May  1st,  1840,  the  Session  "Resolved,  That 
it  be  recommended  to  the  congregation  to  elect 
five  additional  Elders,  one  for  each  quarter,  and 
that  it  be  done  on  Wednesday.  On  Monday,  May 
4th,  1840  the  election  was  held,  and  John  S.  Mc- 
Clarty  was  chosen  from  Quarter  No.  1,  Walter 
F.  Pharr  from  No.  2,  Alexander  McClarty  from 
No.  3,  Robert  Caldwell  from  No.  4  and  no  choice 
in  No.  5,  though  Joseph  B.  White  received  the 
largest  number  of  votes.  On  the  20th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1840,  these  four  were  ordained  and  installed  ; 
and  on  the  24th,  E.  B.  Burnes  was  elected  the  ad- 
ditional Elder  from  Quarter  No.  5.  Whether  he 
accepted  or  not  the  records  do  not  state,  but  I 
presume  that  he  did  not,  for  in  the  minutes  of 
March  8th,  1842,  Col.  David  White  is  spoken  of 
as  an  Elder,  and  he  was  from  that  quarter. 

This,  then,  is  the  time  when,  and  the  manner  in 
which  the  present  system  of  having  10  Elders  (2 
from  each  quarter)  went  into  operation. 

John  Morrison  having  died  March  13th,  1846, 
James  Query,  March  11th,  1844,  and  John  Phifer, 
October  18th,  1845,  there  were  three  vacancies  in 
the  Session,  which  were  filled  on  July  4th,  1847  by 
ordaining  and  installing  Robert  H.  Morrison 
from  No.  1,  Sandy  McKindley  from  No.  4,  and 
John  Hampton  White  from  No.  5. 

Since  then  the  following  have  been  ordained: 
John  Caldwell  (chosen  to  succeed  Andrew  Da- 
vis) ordained  Sept.  25th,  1853,  and  who  ceased 
to  act  as  such  in  1865  or  1866. 

McAmy  A.  White  (son  of  John)  ordained  Sept. 
25th,  1853,  and  who  died  in  1866.  S.  C.  Kirkpat- 
ric,  John  M  .Query  and  Joseph  O.  Pharr  were 
elected  Elders  on  September  12th,  1857,  and  or- 
dained Jan.  3rd,  1858. 


30 


On  August  31st,  1865,  A.  Cicero  Alexander  was 
elected  from  No.  2  in  place  of  John  Caldwell,  who 
wished  to  cease  acting  as  Elder ;  James  L.  Morri- 
son from  No.  3  in  place  of  McAmy  A.  White,  dis- 
missed church;  Robert  C.  Caldwell  from 

No.  4,  and  Dixon  B.  Penick  from  No.  5.  They 
were  ordained  Nov.  25th,  1866. 

Cn  April  18th,  1869,  Wm.  S.  White  was  ordain- 
ed and  installed  an  Elder  from  No.  5. 

On  Sept.  10th,  1869,  John  R.  Wilson  was  elect- 
ed from  No.  4,  in  place  of  Robert  C,  Caldwell,  who 
had  removed  to  Concord,  North  Carolina,  from 
the  congregation;  and  was  installed  Oct.  24th, 
1869,  he  having  been  previously  ordained  in 
church. 

The  Elders  in  1871,  when  Mr.  Mack  became 
pastor  were  Robert  H.  Morrison  and  John  S.  Mc- 
Clarty  from  No.  1,  A.  C.  Alexander  from  No.  2, 
John  M.  Black  and  James  L.  Morrison  from  No. 
3;  John  M.  Query  and  John  R.  Wilson  from  No. 
4,  Dixon  B.  Penick  and  W.  S.  White  from  No.  5. 

In  1871,  John  S.  McClarty  and  Dixon  B.  Pen- 
ick having  moved  to  other  churches,  and  S.  C. 
Kirkpatrick  being  dead,  the  Session  was  reduced 
to  seven. 

On  May  3rd,  1872,  J.  C.  Earnhardt  was  elected 
from  No.  1,  S.  E.  W.  Pharr  from  No.  2,  and  James 
Query  White  from  No.  5.  Messrs.  Earnhardt  and 
Pharr  having  accepted  were  ordained  and  in- 
stalled Sept.  15th,  1872. 

James  Query  White  having  declined  to  accept, 
another  election  was  held  Aug.  2nd,  1873,  which 
on  the  third  ballot  resulted  in  the  election  of 
Samuel  Pharr,  who  was  ordained  and  installed 
June  14th,  1874. 


31 


CHAPTER  VI 

DEACONS  OF  ROCKY  RIVER. 

The  office  of  Deacon  was  unknown  in  this 
church  before  186 — .  Previously  the  work  of  the 
Deacon  was  done  by  collectors  appointed  at  the 
annual  congregational  meetings.  This  system 
working  satisfactorily,  it  was  with  great  difficul- 
ty the  Rev.  D.  A.  Penick  induced  them  to  abolish 
it,  and  to  have  in  its  stead  the  Scripture  system 
of  a  Board  of  Deacons. 

In  186 —  five  deacons,  one  from  each  quarter, 
were  elected:  J.  Dwight  Morrison  from  No.  1, 
John  M.  W.  Alexander  from  No.  2,  Joseph  Me- 
lanthor  Black  from  No.  3,  Elam  M.  Query  from 
No.  4,  and  D.  Henry  White  from  No.  5. 

In  1872  Session  judged  the  size  of  No.  2  to  be 
such  as  to  require  an  additional  Deacon,  and  M. 
L.  Harris  (previously  a  Deacon  in  Poplar  Tent 
church)  was  elected  May  3rd  and  installed  in  July. 

In  1873  Session  judged  the  number  of  families 
in  No.  4  to  be  such  as  to  require  an  addi- 
tional Deacon.  On  the  second  ballot — Aug.  2nd, 
1873 — S.  McKee  Morrison  from  No.  5.  He  was 
ordained  and  installed  June  14th,  1874. 

In  May,  1874,  D.  Henry  White  requested  the 
Session  to  permit  him  to  cease  acting  as  Deacon 
in  No.  5.  The  request  was  granted  and  R.  Ben- 
ton White  was  elected  in  his  place  April  30th, 
1875. 

On  April  4th,  1875,  J.  Melanchton  Black  re- 
quested the  Session  to  permit  him  to  cease  acting 
as  Deacon -in  No.  3.  The  request  was  granted  and 
Joseph  R.  White  was  elected  in  his  place  April 
30th,  1875. 


32 


April  4th,  1875,  session  decided  that  No.  4  ought 
to  have  an  additional  Deacon,  and  on  April  30th, 
1875,  R.  L,  Query  was  elected.  These  three  were 
ordained  and  installed  in  June. 


33 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SABBATH  SCHOOL. 

Rev.  D.  A.  Penick  in  his  centennial  sermon 
says  that  with  your  forefathers  "The  Westmin- 
ster Shorter  Catechism  was  the  text  book  from 
the  beginning  in  almost  every  family,  studied 
every  Sabbath  evening  and  during  the  week  re- 
cited in  all  the  schools."  The  Bible  was  also  a 
text  book  in  the  week  day  schools. 

Dr.  Wilson  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to  have 
Bible  instruction  at  the  church.  In  1821  he  had  a 
Bible  class  at  the  church.  In  1830  he  organized 
Sabbath  Schools  in  Quarters  No.  1,  2,  3  and  5. 
What  is  now  known  as  Query's  Quarter  being  the 
only  one  not  having  a  Sabbath  School.  These 
schools  had  from  40  to  80  scholars  apiece  and  did 
much  good.  But  in  the  spring  of  1832  it  was 
thought  best,  by  the  managers  of  the  different 
schools  to  unite  them  all  in  one  at  the  meeting 
house.  Accordingly  about  the  18th  of  May,  1832 
the  Sabbath  School  of  Rocky  River  congregation 
was  organized.' '  Joseph  Flinn  was  the  first  su- 
perintendent and  acted  as  such  during  1832.  But 
at  the  annual  congregation  meeting  on  Jan.  3rd, 
1833,  Samuel  Morrison  was  elected  superintend- 
ent, and  was  elected  every  year  afterwards  until 
he  declined  to  serve  any  longer. 

Then  Eider  J.  M.  Black  was  elected  superinten- 
dent and  remained  so  until  Deacon  J.  Dwight 
Morrison  was  elected,  who  has  been  such  ever 
since. 


34 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

REVIVALS. 

This  church  has  been  greatly  blessed  in  this 
respect,  but  the  first  revival  of  which  we  have  any 
account  was  in  1798  when  Rev.  James  Hall  and 
Rev.  Joseph  D.  Kilpatrick  were  sent  by  the  Pres- 
bytery to  hold  a  communion.  About  thirty  were 
received  into  the  church — one  of  whom,  Samuel 
Morrison,  died  only  about  five  years  ago.  In  1801 
and  1802  the  church  was  blessed  (in  common  with 
all  the  other  churches  throughout  this  section) 
with  another  revival.  A  large  number  were  re- 
ceived, of  whom  one,  Miss  Betsy  Davis,  died  not 
quite  six  years  ago.  During  Dr.  Wilson's  minis- 
try there  were  no  marked  outpourings  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  but  at  various  times  there  were 
large  additions  during  the  year  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  church — as  many  as  twenty  or  thirty. 
During  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Daniel  Lindley  there 
was  a  mighty  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In 
less  than  three  years  two  hundred  and  fifty-two 
persons  were  received  into  the  church  of  whom 
about  twenty-five  were  still  members  in  1874 
when  Mr.  Lindley  revisited  Rocky  River.  Dur- 
ing Rev.  D.  A.  Penick's  ministry  there  were  a 
number  of  years  in  which  quite  a  number  were 
received  into  the  church;  but  the  years  1836, 
1849,  1853,  1859  and  1866  were  years  in  which 
there  seems  to  have  been  a  special  work  of  grace. 
Of  these,  that  in  1849  and  1853  were  the  most  ex- 
tensive. 

"A  protracted  meeting  was  held  in  this  church 
which  commenced  oil  Thursday  17th  of  August, 
1849  and  continued  without  interruption  for 
eleven  days  and  nights.  Brother  W.  W.  Pharr, 
C.  Johnston,  J.  E.  Morrison,  S.  C.  Pharr  and 


35 


Sheetz  were  in  attendance.  During  the  meeting 
thirty-two  sermons  were  delivered  and  many  ex- 
hortations. The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
manifest  from  the  beginning  of  the  meeting.  As 
the  meeting  progressed  both  professors  and  sin- 
ners came  in  crowds  to  the  inquiry  room.  In  the 
following  month  ninety  persons  were  received 
into  the  membership  of  the  church,  of  whom 
eighty-eight  were  upon  profession  of  faith. 

In  July,  1853  Rev.  Daniel  Baker  held  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  for  eight  days,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing September  eighty-nine  persons  were  received 
into  the  church  of  whom  eighty-eight  were  upon 
a  confession  of  faith  and  twenty-four  of  whom 
were  baptized. 

In  1859  at  the  Fall  communion  thirty-six  per- 
sons were  received.  Dr.  R.  H.  Morrison  and  Rev. 
P.  T.  Penick  assisting. 

In  the  summer  of  1866  the  Rev.  Robt.  Nail, 
D.  D.,  held  a  protracted  meeting  and  in  the  Fall 
thirty-eight  persons  were  received  into  the  mem- 
bership of  the  church. 

During  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Mack 
there  were  three  special  works  of  grace.  The 
first  in  the  Fall  of  1871,  when  he  was  assisted  by 
the  Rev.  Wm.  Banks,  of  South  Carolina,  and 
when  sixty-three  persons  were  received  into  the 
church. 

The  second  was  in  the  Spring  of  1873  when  he 
was  assisted  by  his  father,  the  Rev.  Wm.  Mack, 
D.  D.,  and  when  there  were  thirty-two  additions. 

The  third  was  in  the  Fall  of  1874  during  the 
visit  of  Rev.  Daniel  Lindley  and  when  there  were 
fifty-two  additions,  of  whom  fourteen  were  bap- 
tized. 


36 


CHAPTER  IX. 

AN  AFTERWORD. 

The  foregoing  chapters,  IV  to  VIII  inclusive, 
have  been  given  just  as  Dr.  Mack  wrote  them.  It 
is  believed  that  all  of  essential  facts  are  abso- 
lutely correct.  It  would  be  interesting  to  carry 
this  history  down  to  the  present  date,  but  the  cost 
will  be  increased  and  the  committee  is  taking  a 
risk  in  the  publication  down  to  1875  as  here  given. 

There  is  a  mistake  in  local  history  that  must 
be  corrected.  A  monument  has  been  erected  in 
the  center  of  the  graveyard  at  Poplar  Tent  which 
sets  forth  that  Rev.  Hezekiah  J.  Balch  died  in 
1776  and  was  buried  there.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem  this  is  an  error.  Rev.  Hezekiah  J.  Balch 
instead  of  dying  in  1776,  simply  moved  to  Tennes- 
see in  that  year.  Nine  children  were  born  to  him 
after  he  left  Rocky  River  and  he  died  Jan.  12, 
1821  in  Sullivan  county,  Indiana,  and  was  buried 
in  Hopewell  church  graveyard  in  that  State.  It 
is  Rev.  James  Balch,  the  father  of  Rev.  Hezekiah 
J.  Balch,  who  was  buried  in  Poplar  Tent  grave- 
yard. My  authority  for  this  is  Dr.  Mack's  dis- 
covery in  a  Cincinnati  library  of  a  book  written 
by  Rev.  A.  F.  White,  LL.D.,  who  was  a  grandson 
of  Rev.  Hezekiah  J.  Balch.  This  book  gives  names 
of  all  the  children  born  after  he  left  North  Caro- 
lina. Foote  declares  that  his  widow  had  two 
children  and  married  a  McWhorter.  His  infor- 
mation was  incorrect.  An  old  record  in  Concord 
shows  that  McWhorter  married  Martha  Balch 
between  1777  and  1787.  Certainly  this  was  not 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Hezekiah  J.  Balch  nor  the  wife 
of  Rev.  Jas.  Balch,  but  it  is  probable  that  she  was 
his  daughter,  a  sister  of  Rev.  Hezekiah,  because 
Dr.  White's  book  says  Rev.  Jas.  Balch  had  four 


37 


sons  and  four  daughters,  and  the  records  show 
that  Rev.  Jas.  Balch  located  here.  Dr.  White 
gives  the  names  of  three  of  the  daughters  and  my 
theory  i  sthat  the  other  was  Martha,  who  mar- 
ried McWhorter.  In  those  days  removal  to  Ten- 
nessee meant  removal  from  the  world  and  it  easi- 
ly explains  the  tradition  as  to  the  death  of  Rev. 
Hezekiah  J.  Balch.  It  is  not  improoable  that  he 
found  it  prudent  to  go  into  the  wilderness  of  the 
West,  when  the  war  came,  in  view  of  the  part  he 
had  taken  in  shielding  the  ''Black  Boys"  of  his 
congregation  and  in  bringing  about  the  Declara- 
tion at  Charlotte. 

The  following  incidents  cannot  be  omitted  from 
this  sketch: 

1.  The  first  settled  places  in  Rocky  River  were 
John  Rodgers'  (already  described),  David  Cald- 
well's on  Reedy  creek  (near  old  Smiley  Pharr 
place),  James  Alexander's  (on  Rocky  River  near 
old  Samuel  Pharr  place),  William  White's  (near 
old  Neisler  factory),  and  Robert  Harris'  (near 
church) . 

2.  The  first  marriage  in  congregation  was 
John  Anderson  (a  famous  hunter  on  Reedy 
creek).  He  married  daughter  of  John  Rodgers, 
the  first  settler. 

3.  The  first  burial  was  James  Ross,  who  was 
drowned  in  river  near  mouth  of  Back  creek.  He 
is  buried  in  the  first  graveyard  nearby. 

4.  The  first  child  born  in  Rocky  River  was 
Joseph  Rodgers. 

5.  Rocky  river  was  formerly  known  as  John- 
son's river,  and  Caldwell  creek  was  called  Beaver 
Dam  creek. 

Thus  endeth  this  chronicle  of  the  historic 


38 


church  of  Rocky  River.  Let  us  hope  that  the 
movement  back  to  the  country,  may  yet  restore 
the  grand  old  church  to  her  former  glory  among 
her  sister  churcnes. 


THE  END. 


39 


CONCORD 

JOB 
PRINTERY 


Date  Due 

A  P  Aug>>  3* 









Form  335.    45M  8-37. 

N.C   #204    Z99A    v.  2  1900-30 
no  3. 24-40  P42923 


mm 


